FAQs

Membership

Who can be a member?GLP property owners, their families, and residents/renters are all eligible for membership. All youth members (under age 25) must have an accompanying regular or Commodore’s Club patron or adult membership (Young Patron memberships are single only and do not include ad the ability to add adult or youth memberships).

I notice you have several different membership categories. What’s the difference?Membership is required to participate in all Yacht Club tournaments, races, social events, classes and other sponsored activities. You can find a chart of all our membership options in the “Registration” tab. To summarize, we offer four categories of membership for adults (age 21 and older): Adult, Patron, Young Patron, and Commodore’s Club. We also offer a youth membership for those age 20 and under. Youth memberships must have an accompanying adult membership (in any category except Young Patron). Adult and youth memberships are available on a monthly basis (July or August), or can be purchased for the season. All categories of patron memberships are seasonal only.

Can I participate in Yacht Club events without a membership?Generally no. You must be a member to participate in all adult, teen, and youth classes, activities, events, races and regattas, tennis tournaments, and to purchase tickets to Yacht Club sponsored events. Non-members are welcome only at select social events, and then only as the guest of a member. The number of guests members can bring is often restricted.

How do you verify membership?Once you have signed up on-line, your membership information is stored in our system. Every time you sign up for a program or event, our system automatically checks and verifies this information. Because we offer a number of afternoon and evening programs for our youth that are age limited, tweens (ages ten through twelve) and teens (ages thirteen and up) must have a color-coded bracelet, available in the Yacht Club office at the start of each month, in order to participate. These bracelets are issued to members only and are not transferable.

How do I sign up for membership?You can register online through the “Club Membership” link on the home page of this website as soon as it is activated in the spring. Dates will appear on our home page; returning members will also be notified in our spring mailing. You can also mail in the form under the “Membership” tab on the website.

Do you offer memberships shorter than a month?No, all memberships are either seasonal or monthly.

I’m a member and having house guests. Is there any way they can participate in Yacht Club activities while visiting?We do not offer guest memberships, but you may purchase tickets for guests to events such as the Hello and Goodbye cocktail parties, Family Night, and other major social events. Check with the Yacht Club office for events at which guests are welcome to attend with you.

How do I find out about programs and activities?There is a complete calendar on the home page of this website. Every summer we also publish a calendar listing all our programs and activities. You can pick one up in the Yacht Club office. Events are also listed in the Groton Long Point News, the weekly newspaper, and on the white board in front of the Casino or in the glass-fronted case to the right of the bottom of the stairs. We will occasionally email you with Yacht Club information, so please provide us with your email address if you register by mail (your email address is automatically recorded when you sign up online).

Membership and Class Registration

When can I register for membership and classes? Check our home page in the spring for membership and class registration information. Returning members will also be notified via our spring newsletter. At that point the appropriate buttons will be activated and you can sign up online. You must register for membership online or by mail before registering for classes. Please note that all patron categories (regular, Young Adult, patrons and Commodore’s Club) can register for classes earlier than regular members. Actual registration dates will be provided in our spring newsletter. Further information appears under the “Membership” and “Registration” tabs on this website.

How can I find out what the class schedule is?The class schedule is posted under our Registration tab. Please review the class schedule carefully for days, times, locations, and minimum and maximum age limits.

I’ve looked at the schedule, but am not sure which level or exact classes my child belongs in. What should I do?Descriptions of each class appear under the appropriate menu in our Programs section along with any required forms. Check these descriptions to determine the best class and level for your child. If you have further questions, contact us atglpychelpdesk@hotmail.com, or in the office once the season starts. The instructors will also assess your child’s ability level the first day of classes and recommend changes as necessary.

I’m new to GLP. Where do classes meet?Sports classes meet at the sports field on Atlantic Avenue, both Summer Athletic Conditioning classes at the sports field, youth tennis classes, youth tournaments, and tennis team at the kids’ tennis courts on West Shore Avenue (closest to the Casino), adult and adult tournaments tennis at the adult courts on Pacific Street, swimming classes at South Beach the first day (swimmers will directed to subsequent lessons), Swimming for Fitness for ages 8-12 at South Beach, Swimming for Fitness for ages 13 to adult at Main Beach, all Seashell/Opti classes at the Inner Lagoon. Junior sailing classes (Optis and 420s) meet on the deck outside the Yacht Club office. Golf meets at the putting green on North St. All other activities (theater, teen crafts, art, Club 4/5) meet in Clark Hall, the large hall at the back of the Casino. The Friday afternoon novelty and track meets are held at the sports field; the swim meet at South Beach. For evening events such as sports and tween teen activities, please check the calendar. Kiddie dances and movies take place in Clark Hall.

My child is advanced for his age. Is there a way I can put him in a higher level class? Many of our programs have minimum and/or maximum age requirements for safety and liability reasons, and because of this we make no exceptions to age limits. In addition, your child will be more comfortable and have more fun in classes with his own age group. Remember, he will be making life-long friendships as well as learning in the Yacht Club classes. Many of our instructors also give private lessons. Check at the Yacht Club office for a list.

Why is proof of age required to participate in the youth programs? As noted above, many of our programs have minimum and/or maximum age requirements. Proof of age (birth certificate, passport, etc.) is required to verify these, and youth are not allowed to participate without documentation. If you are new, please send your child’s proof of age to: Program Registrar, GLPYC, P.O. Box 3740, Groton Long Point, CT 06340. Proof of age must be received by us within the first week of classes or your child will not be allowed to participate. You do not have to submit one again if you have done so in prior years.

I tried to register my child on-line and was put on the wait list. What can I do? While we have strictly enforced class enrollment limits for safety and instructional purposes, we do maintain a wait list for classes that have reached their limit. We will review this wait list and let you know if space can be made available as soon as possible. In some cases, an alternate class may be available—check the class schedule for options.

What type of medical information do you require? We require medical and contact information for all adult and youth participants. This includes: date of last tetanus shot, allergies, existing medical conditions, current medications, and complete medical insurance information. If you register on-line, you will be asked for this information as part of the registration process; if you register in-person, you must complete a medical authorization form.

What happens in inclement weather? Decisions will be made early in the morning on a class by class basis (for example, sports may be held while tennis is cancelled) and will be posted on the home page of this website. You can also be notified through your Facebook or Twitter accounts, call the Yacht Club at 536-0242 for a message, or check the white board on the steps of the Casino. If classes are cancelled, rainy day activities will be held in Clark Hall.

Does the Yacht Club own boats I can rent for the sailing programs?We have a limited number of Optis you can rent for our inner lagoon Seashell/Opti program. You will be provided the option to rent these boats during your registration for Seashell/Opti A, B, or C classes (boats are not required for D class). Boat rental is on a first-come, first-served monthly basis, and agreement to the Opti rental agreement is required as part of the rental process. The Yacht Club does not own Seashells, Optis used in our junior sailing programs, or 420s for rent. (See below for options to locate boats.)

I’m looking for a boat to use in sailing classes. What’s the best way to find one?Check the bulletin board in the hall outside of Clark Hall, with the sailing instructors, with the Yacht Club office, or click in the Boat Sales/Rentals/Crew box on our home page

My child needs a crew for her 420 for July. What should I do?We maintain a list of boat sales, rentals, and crew requests for our members only. Email us atglpychelpdesk@hotmail.com with your request and we will post it on our website. You can also check the website by clicking on the Boat Sales/Rentals/Crew box on the home page. Once the season starts, the sailing staff will try to match skippers and crews.

I’d like to rent a dock for my C420. What do I do?The Yacht Club owns two floating docks in the lagoon for C420 storage. These docks are rented on a first come, first served basis during registration. See Docks and Storage in the Sailing drop down menu under the Programs tab on this website for more information.

Tennis Tournaments

How do I find out the adult tennis tournament schedule?Tournaments are listed on the calendar on the home page of this website. Please note that adult tournaments are for those ages 16 and above. See the Adult Tennis Tournaments section under the Tennis drop down menu of the Programs tab for further information.

How do I sign up for a Tennis Tournament?You can register on-line before the end of June for July tournaments, and before the end of July for August tournaments. During the month you can sign up in the office. There is a small cost to play which includes the tournament, balls, and light refreshments.

What are the rules for tennis tournaments?If you register on-line, you will receive the tournament rules with your confirmation email. The rules will also be available if you register in the office.

What if I’m looking for a partner for a doubles tournament?We don’t maintain a list of potential partners, though you can put your name on the list as a single and see if there is anyone looking for a partner. You can also leave a message for our tennis pro to see if he has a suggestion. And at GLP, being the tight knit community that it is, sometimes the best thing to do is just to ask around. Generally there will be someone willing to play.

How do I find out about the youth tournaments?Youth tournaments are listed on our calendar. Be sure to pay attention to the type of tournament (girls, boys, singles, doubles, etc.) and any age requirements. Youth tournaments are limited to those 15 and under. You must also be available to play during the specified tournament time.

Do I need to sign up for youth tournaments?Tennis instructors will be taking sign ups during classes the day before and day of the tournament. You can also sign up in the office or at the kiddie courts before noon the day of the tournament. There is no charge to play, but we do ask you to respect our sign-up policy (and withdraw if you find you cannot play) as it helps our staff identify the best tournament format given the number and ability of those signed up.

Association Tennis Memberships

I’m a member of the Yacht Club. Why do I have to have an Association membership to use the courts?The tennis courts are owned and maintained by the Groton Long Point Association (the governing body for Groton Long Point) and they require all tennis players, including those in YC classes, teams, matches, etc., to be Association tennis members to use the courts.

How do I sign up for an Association tennis membership?You can sign up on-line through this website (click on the “Tennis Membership” link) or in the Association office at the Casino during the summer.

Fireworks

Who sponsors the fireworks?The fireworks are sponsored by the Groton Long Point Yacht Club.

How are they funded?The fireworks are funded entirely by your contributions, and each year we spend whatever we take in on the show (other than a small reserve that’s carried over from year to year for annual deposits and pre-season expenses). No other Yacht Club money is used for fireworks, nor are fireworks donations used for any other Yacht Club programs or activities.

How do I donate?You can return the form included in the mailing, or donate through the “Fireworks Donations” link on this website.

Other

I’m interested in helping out with Yacht Club events. How do I go about doing that?We welcome all sorts of help! Email us at glpyc@hotmail.com, letting us know what you’re interested in doing. We’ll do our best to take advantage of your offer.

I see the sign for the GLPYC Outfitters in front of the Casino. What is the GLPYC Outfitters?The GLPYC Outfitters is the Yacht Club store, selling a variety of t-shirts, sweatshirts, tennis wear, and other items with the GLPYC logo. All proceeds from the store benefit the Yacht Club programs and activities, and provide an additional source of support.

What is the Groton Long Point News? Who funds it? The GLP News is a weekly newspaper independently published by Luise Bethencourt and delivered to each house on Groton Long Point every Friday during the summer season. The paper is free to households, but is subsidized by the Groton Long Point Yacht Club and by the Groton Long Point Association. The paper also sells advertising space. The paper delivery crew appreciates a tip left at the door.

I would like to take classes that are not on your schedule. How can I suggest something new?Please send an email to the Yacht Club at glpychelpdesk@hotmail.com with your suggestions and details about the activity. If you would like to volunteer to organize such an activity, please include your contact information in the email. While we may not be able to sponsor every activity due to staff and space constraints, we are always open to new ideas.